Cycling 30 miles with an 80 year old gent today

[Blue Hills]

Some of the newer model roadie ebikes have batteries fully integrated into the frame.

Replacement looks more complicated, although I have no experience of it.

Are those just pro bikes pale rider or bikes aimed at leisure riders?

Thanks for the detailed reply.

 

[Pale Rider]

Are those just pro bikes pale rider or bikes aimed at leisure riders?

Thanks for the detailed reply.

The likes of the Orbea Gain and the new Ribble ebike have the Ebikemotion hub motor and integrated battery in the down tube.

At about £2,500 they are aimed at leisure riders.

Higher up the roadie ebike scale is a crank drive called a Fazua, fitted to Cubes among others.

The motor and battery on that is detachable, bikes with it fitted cost £4,000+.

Still knocking around is the inside seatpost crank drive used by that Belgian lass who cheated in a CX race.

That has a separate battery pack, typically mounted in a saddle wedge pack, which means it's relatively cheap to replace.

Not sure of the price, last time I saw one it was £2,000+ as a retro fit.

 

[Blue Hills]

Thanks pale rider.

Better not say what I think of such things.

Would be interested in what the esteemed 80 year old thought of them - he may have an interesting perspective.

 

[gbb]

Ebikes aside, I remember riding alongside a guy some years ago, well I to his 70s or 80s I guess. What struck me was the size of his calves...like bloomin tree trunks , gawld only knows how fit he was in his prime.

 

[confusedcyclist]

With regard to the green credentials. Ebikes will never be environmentally friendly, before we even get into dirty electricity, Lithium ion batteries are not recyclable and the cobalt required for battery chemistry is finite, with ore yields dropping to ensure prices for cells will go up a lot in the long run, just like petroleum. Don't buy into the environmental green washing. Right from extraction through to disposal, the stuff is toxic. That said, it makes more sense to ride an electric bike than a 2 tonne diesel motor to get one person about. Nothing will beat muscle power in terms of sustainability.

Great for handicapped, terrible as a long term sustainable transport solution. Ebikes might be best considered a bridge to a better transport system. I'll avoid them as long as I'm able to get about under my own steam.

 

[Blue Hills]

With regard to the green credentials. Ebikes will never be environmentally friendly, Lithium ion batteries are not recyclable and the cobalt required is sufficiently finite enough with more yields dropping to ensure prices for cells will go up a lot in the long run, just like petroleum. Don't buy into the environmental green washing. Right from extraction through to disposal, the stuff is toxic. That said, it makes more sense to ride an bike than a 2 tonne diesel motor to get one person about. Nothing will beat muscle power in terms of sustainability.

Very true. And of course the electricity has to be generated from something.
If ebikes led to a decline in day to day functional cycling (always possible) they would be very seriously anti green.

(note pale rider - not getting at you - thanks for the educational posts)

 

[Pale Rider]

[QUOTE="confusedcyclist, post: 5581176, member: 37048
Great for handicapped, terrible as a long term sustainable transport solution. Ebikes might be best considered a bridge to a better transport system. I'll avoid them as long as I'm able to get about under my own steam.[/QUOTE]

I think you are confusing ebikes with mobility scooters.

Ebikes are crap for many handicapped people because you have to mount, balance, and pedal one.

I can tell you as a simple matter of fact an ebike is harder to control and manhandle than an ordinary bike.

Suitability for the handicapped would depend on the precise nature of the handicap, but if you cannot ride a push bike it's likely you couldn't ride an ebike.

The guy in the OP is a cyclist, he just cannot ride very far or fast enough to keep up with his mates or make the pursuit at all rewarding.

That's where the ebike comes in.

 

[confusedcyclist]

Whilst I don't discount that some people who struggle with balance or handling of faster vehicles might be better served by an e-trike or mobility scooter. I'm categorically not confusing e-bikes with motability scooters. I can tell you that for a fact. Source: I have 2 degrees and can tie my own shoelaces to boot.

Taboos about aging aside, this chap is by definition handicapped. His handicap is alleviated by a motor.

handicap
/ˈhandɪkap/
noun

1. 1.
   a circumstance that makes progress or success difficult.

 

[Pale Rider]

You are attempting to say ebikes are only for the handicapped.

That is nonsense.

Think of ebikes like trousers, handicapped people wear trousers same as able-bodied people.

Most able-bodied people could wear trousers, some handicapped people may not be able to.

If an ebike suits a person, any person, for any reason, that is sufficient.

 

[youngoldbloke]

I think the free dictionary sums it up quite well: https://www.thefreedictionary.com/handicapped

"Nowadays the use of the word handicapped to describe people with disabilities is generally considered inappropriate. It is preferable to refer to someone as having a disability and to talk about people with disabilities"

 

[confusedcyclist]

You are attempting to say ebikes are only for the handicapped.

I don't know where you get that impression? I have only implied that they would be great for those with handicaps. (limited in speed or strength)

I think the free dictionary sums it up quite well: https://www.thefreedictionary.com/handicapped

"Nowadays the use of the word handicapped to describe people with disabilities is generally considered inappropriate. It is preferable to refer to someone as having a disability and to talk about people with disabilities"

Political correctness at it's finest. It's an issue of semantics now. I'm bowing out.